Beijing's Top Sights - Beijing - page 319

Commune with nature in Fragrant Hills Park ( CLICK HERE ), especially beautiful in
the early autumn.
Spend a night exploring the buzzing restaurants and clubs of Wǔdàokǒu ( CLICK HERE
), Běijīng's student heartland.
Push through the bamboo fronds in the Běijīng Botanic Gardens ( CLICK HERE ), Ch-
ina's top collection of flora.
Check out the 280,000 year-old Jīnniúshān Man at the Arthur M Sackler Museum of
Art & Archaeology ( CLICK HERE ) and then stroll the peaceful, leafy campus of Peking
University.
Explore: Summer Palace & Hǎidiàn
Hǎidiàn sprawls across a huge mass of west and northwest Běijīng, so you'll need to at-
tack it in chunks, and don't expect to be able to see or do everything in one day.
Start at the Summer Palace. You could easily spend a whole day here; climb Longevity
Hill for fine views over Běijīng. From there, it's a short bus ride to an amble in Fragrant
Hills Park. Nature buffs will also want to visit the nearby Botanic Gardens.
In the evening head to Wǔdàokǒu. Surrounded by universities, this is one of Běijīng's
most happening areas for cafes and nightlife and home to some of the best Korean and
Japanese restaurants in town.
If you're on the track of temples, Hǎidiàn has some of the capital's finest examples. To
temple-hop, start the day at the National Library subway stop and first take in the Indian-
inspired Wǔtǎ Temple. From there, walk due west to Wànshòu Temple and then northeast
towards the Great Bell Temple. You could end the day in quiet contemplation at the su-
perb Azure Clouds Temple inside Fragrant Hills Park.
Local Life
» Hangouts Both locals and foreigners can be found at all hours in Lush ( CLICK HERE ), a
mix of cafe, bar, restaurant and nightlife venue. Bridge Café ( CLICK HERE ) is another
24-hour hot spot.